Flaming Hair
by Jedusor
Summary: What really happened to make Ginny stop fancying Harry? Why did she get together with Michael Corner? What happened in the time period between Harry and Michael? The answer: Harry’s worst enemy. G/D, please R/R!
1. Ginny's Victory

Okay, this is my first fic, so please go easy on me! I like the end of this chapter the best.. I have three chapters of this written- if you want me to continue please review and tell me so!  
  
A big thank you to all the authors of the stories on my faves list, in no particular order: Asterix, Kei, Cat Samwise, bonkers, goldie, Wolf of Avalon, LilaStar, sIttInprItty, Darkangel Rose, Piri Lupin-Snape, and an extra note of thanks to Kerbi and Kalariona, authors of my two all-time favorite HP fics (Betrayed and Darkness or Light What is Your Choice? If you like one of them, don't read the other, because they're about as different as they come.) Kudos to A-Plus (can you find the margarine?) and an extra extra note of thanks to Kerbi again, for putting up with my reviews that I wrote of all her stories when I was bored, and for adding that margarine. Did I mention please review? (Shutting up.)  
  
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"The Sleeping Potion is quite complicated to make. The dandelion roots counteract the negative effects of the rat tails as well as ensuring that the potion is a rich, smooth brown.."  
Ginny tuned out Snape's droning voice, turning her thoughts instead to the same person she had been obsessed with since she had first seen him. He was so handsome, so brave. He had been glorious to watch at the first task and heroic at the second. And she could have gone to the Yule Ball with him! If only Neville had asked her two days later, if only she could have said, "Sorry, Neville, but I'm already going with someone." Then she knew Harry would have had a good time instead of stepping on Parvati Patil's feet for one dance and talking to Ron the rest of the evening. He would have asked her to go for a walk. She imagined his smooth voice saying, "Ginny, you look even more beautiful in the moonlight." And she would have smiled and put her arm around his waist. And he would have turned toward her, and taken her into his arms, and said-  
"Weasley, you seem to have brewed a potion I don't think I have ever encountered. Kindly explain yourself."  
Ginny's head snapped down to her cauldron. It was boiling, lumpy, and bright pink. "I-I think I started to brew a Sleeping Potion and it. sort of.. turned into something else, sir."  
Snape stared down his nose at her. "Well, then, I think your grade has turned into something else. A zero, in fact. And an essay on your-" here he wrinkled his nose at her cauldron "new potion and what you did wrong, due Thursday."  
  
Ginny ran up a flight of stairs. She was barely on time for Charms, but she could tell she was going to be late when Malfoy stepped out in front of her.  
"Weasley."  
Ginny tried not to scream. The last person she wanted to talk to right then was Draco Malfoy. "What do you want, Malfoy? I'm going to be late for Charms."  
"I hear you're having trouble in Potions, Weasley."  
"Oh, do you?" Ginny tried to push around him, but he stepped sideways and blocked her.  
"I just wondered if you needed any- help."  
Something was wrong here. Ginny suddenly realized that Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen. Malfoy almost never went anywhere without his bodyguards. "Not from you."  
Malfoy smirked. "I would think that when your Sleeping Potion turns lumpy and pink, you'd be accepting help from anyone."  
Ginny resisted the urge to punch that smirk off his face. She didn't want to get in a fight now, when she needed to hurry.  
"Let me by, Malfoy. I really need to go." He stayed where he was. Ginny sighed irritably. "Fine. What do you want?"  
"To help you in Potions."  
"You mean, you want more opportunities to torment me. If you don't move in five seconds, I'm going to break your arm." To Ginny's vast surprise, he moved aside and let her pass.  
"Okay, Weasley. Your loss."  
Ginny dashed up the stairs. She didn't have time to wonder.  
  
Draco watched her run until she turned the corner. Her hair flew behind her. Like fire, he thought. Like flames trailing behind her. He shook himself mentally. She was just another girl, there to conquer, boast about and dump. Like so many others before her. He sighed. He was getting bored of this already. All he had to do was look into a girl's eyes and his cold, grey ones would turn her to jelly. He'd had seven girlfriends so far this year, but none of them were challenging to be with or talk to. None had their own minds.  
Ginny's hair disappeared around the corner. Her hair was like her mind. Fiery, wild, unpredictable. He knew he wanted her. Badly. And he knew he was going to get her. Eventually. All he needed was time. She would be a challenge. She had her own mind and knew how to use it. But he was confident that he could win her over.  
  
At breakfast the next morning, Ginny sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry and Ron were having a friendly row about Quidditch.  
"That was a foul, that was. He stuck his elbow between her arms and knocked the Quaffle to Anders. That's cobbing!" Ron snatched the last muffin. Hermione, who had been reaching for it, glared at him.  
"No, cobbing is just contact with the body, he didn't touch her!" Harry argued, spreading margarine on his toast.  
"Look it up, cobbing applies to balls and people!" Ron said through a mouthful of eggs.  
"Actually, cobbing, according to the Standard Rulebook of Quidditch, only applies to physical contact between one player's elbow and another player's body," Ginny informed Ron. "Harry's right." Of course. Harry was never wrong.  
"I didn't know you had the rulebook memorized, Weasley," said a drawling voice behind them. "Turning into Granger, are you?" Ginny closed her eyes and tried to ignore him, but Ron had already turned around.  
"You leave her alone, Malfoy!"  
"I was talking to the other Weasley," Malfoy said, glancing pointedly at Ginny. She noticed he didn't look at her face, but her hair.  
"I play Quidditch. I know the rules, even if you don't. Well, of course you don't, otherwise you'd know you're supposed to catch the Snitch, not dive in the way of Bludgers." Harry laughed as Hermione quietly took the opportunity to steal the muffin off of Ron's plate. Ginny's heart jumped. He had laughed at a comment she had made.  
Malfoy's eyes were glittering madly. Ginny looked at him with some trepidation. He usually looked like that before he made a comment that caused Ron to start a fight. She got up quickly and left, not wanting to be part of the scene. To her surprise, Malfoy followed her and left Ron, Hermione and Harry alone.  
"Go away, Malfoy!" she hissed, turning on him.  
"I want to help you in Potions," he repeated, grinning. Ginny did a double take. Malfoy was grinning? Not smirking, not smiling coldly, but actually grinning? He was grinning at her hair, though, not her eyes.  
Ginny sighed exasperatedly. She did need help in Potions, and Malfoy was the second best in his year. Nobody was better than Hermione. But Ginny didn't have any money to pay him, and she certainly couldn't accept his help for nothing. Then she'd owe him a favor, and who knew what he'd make her do.  
She turned on her heel and stormed up the stairs and toward Gryffindor tower. He kept following her. And watching her hair.  
She turned around suddenly, nearly stomping on his toes. She was sorry she'd missed. "Stop following me, stop bugging me, and stop staring at my freaking hair, Malfoy!" she burst out angrily, only she didn't say "freaking". He remained calm, still grinning. Ginny noticed how white his teeth were. Probably charmed, she thought bitterly.  
"Language, Weasley. You don't want any innocent first years running in on you talking like that, do you now?"  
"You want to hear words first years shouldn't hear, do you?" Ginny yelled and called him some things she wouldn't have said in front of Ron, not to mention first years.  
  
Wow. Draco had never seen her angry before. She was usually cool and collected, like him. The new emotion became her. Then he absorbed what she had just said. Oops. He hadn't wanted her that angry.  
"Goodness, Weasley. I didn't think an innocent third year could know words like that."  
"Innocent third year? Innocent? I'll show you innocent!" She spat the words out at him. He was about to try to placate her when she punched him in the jaw.  
He was knocked over by the force of the blow. He was of two minds. One said, 'Wow. That girl has quite a left. See what happens when you provoke her?' The other one said, 'Ow! That hurt!' The latter squashed the former very quickly and he launched himself back at her.  
He grabbed her, pinned her arms against the floor, and whispered, "Let's see if I can still use that jaw." Then he kissed her soundly. She tried to get her hands out of his grip, but he tightened his hold, so she bit his lip hard instead. He rolled off her, bleeding. She jumped up and sat on his knees, positioning her fist a foot away from his groin, elbow bent, at the ready.  
"Don't move a muscle." That's extremely clichéd, thought Draco, but he didn't say so. He knew when to keep his mouth shut. He might not have a brain like Granger's, but he knew when he was in mortal peril, and now was one of those times. Well, almost.  
"I'm stopping here because I don't want to be expelled," Ginny told him menacingly. "I'm going to get up and walk away. You are going to get up and walk in the opposite direction. Next time you try to harass me I'm not going to let you walk away with just a bleeding lip."  
And a broken jaw, Draco thought, although he knew it wasn't true.  
"Do I need to use smaller words, or is that understood?" Ginny said in the same low, warning tone.  
"Understood." Draco knew when he had lost. The battle not the war, he told himself sternly. He was going to win Weasley. Eventually.  
  
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Thanks for getting this far, I will put the next chapter up if I get enough reviews. I am moving Friday so I may or may not get a chance to do it soon. We'll see.. Smooches! (Yes, I know I absolutely never say that, but it's 1:16 in the morning, so gimme a chance, okay?) (Shutting up.) Zel  
  
Review.. Review.. Review.. Review.. (Shutting up.) 


	2. Draco's Victory

No flames yet! You would think that the title would just draw them like Ron Weasley to Honeydukes, wouldn't you? Anyway, to flamers: flames are welcome, as long as they're constructive (i.e. "You need to work on your spelling" instead of "ur story sux!"). All reviewers get my undying thanks and a mention here. To my reviewers so far: Thank you thank you thank you! I've gotten six reviews already (and this is my first fic, nobody already knows me! Yay!) To anyone who hasn't reviewed yet: Review please! Even if you do just say "ur story sux!" at least that's something! And tell me my weaknesses, I want this story to be the best it can be! (okay, that was sappy, but hey, you don't have to read it, right?)  
  
Kerbi: No, I won't be able to fit margarine into every single chapter * frowns unhappily * but I'll try to stick it in whenever I can. Trust me, I'll find ways! I like bad-ass Ginny too, too many people are writing her like an innocent little girl. Obviously, after reading OotP, she's supposed to be more like Fred and George. So I'm trying to write her like a female Fred/George, only a little more contemplative. Thanks for the suggestion. No more Betrayed until Sunday? * whimpers pathetically * Nanashiri!  
  
infiltrate the enemy fat kid: Glad you like it. I was afraid I couldn't do humor.  
  
Blood and Daisies: I will!  
  
Happy Snappy: I agree, he is too nice, but I had to make him like that to fit the story. I guess he just wants to get on Ginny's good side (although that's just an excuse.) Trust me, he isn't nice the whole way through!  
  
Forbidden: Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! I do try to make my stuff stand out in the crowd (says the girl with a purple-and-electric-blue skater boy haircut).  
  
Peaceoutgrlmehi: I agree, I was so glad when she started showing personality in OotP, I was afraid she was going to stay a Harry-worshipping mouse. (An interesting tidbit: I began spelling your screen name "peach" twice before getting it right.. Guess I'm just wacko huh?)  
  
These kind, loving and wonderful people have been inducted to the Cult of the Arctic Coconut. (I love it the way I can say absolutely anything here and people will still read it because they want to get to the story! Then again, I suppose they could be skipping over this stuff. Noooo! They hate me! Boo-hoo-hoo..)  
  
(Shutting up.)  
  
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Chapter Two: Draco's Victory  
Ginny collapsed in an armchair in the Gryffindor common room, angrily remembering his slimy lips and crude advances. God, she thought, why on earth would I ever want to kiss him? I love Harry, not some disgusting Slytherin. Even if he does have white teeth. And pretty eyes. They're just there so he can grab girls and drop them like hot potatoes. Ugh, I hate him so much!  
  
"Bad day, Gin?" Hermione sat next to her and looked at her sympathetically. "What's up?"  
  
Ginny decided to tell her. Hermione had always been kind, and she knew she would keep her secret. "Promise you won't tell anyone, not even Harry. Especially not Harry."  
  
"Of course. Was it Malfoy?"  
  
Ginny stared. How had she known? Then she remembered leaving the hall with Malfoy hurrying to catch up. Hermione must have known he wouldn't leave her alone. "Yeah. He said he wanted to help me in Potions, which is a load of-" she glanced at a first year sitting near her- "trash. As soon as he got me alone, he started torturing me. You know the way he does it. Then I got fed up and punched him in the jaw, and he came back at me, only he didn't punch me." She shivered. "He held my arms and- and- and kissed me."  
  
Hermione gasped, but let Ginny continue. "Then I bit his lip nearly off and got the upper hand, and told him if he ever tried to get me alone again, I'd do worse than bite his lip. And he just scampered away like-"  
  
"A ferret?" Hermione queried, smiling a little.  
  
"Yeah! Like a ferret. I don't think he'll bother me again alone, but I don't know what he'll try next. I'm sure he isn't finished yet."  
  
Hermione's grin faded. She leaned over and put her hand on Ginny's arm. "Listen, if he ever tries anything like that again, you tell me, or a prefect, or a teacher. He could get expelled for touching you against your will."  
  
Ginny nodded. "Thanks, Hermione."  
  
Hermione smiled. "You're welcome."  
  
Ginny was absolutely right in one respect. Draco wasn't finished yet.  
  
That evening at dinner, Draco went over to the Gryffindor table again. He opened his mouth to ask Weasley a question, when Granger slammed her book shut, stood up, and growled in his face, "Don't you dare say a word, Malfoy. If I ever see you talk to Ginny again after what you nearly did to her, you're getting one of my hexes, and it's not going to be Jelly-Legs."  
  
"What could you do to me, Granger?" sneered Draco.  
  
"Just ask, oh, Zabini. He'll tell you." Granger smirked. Draco tried not to look startled. That was the exact expression that looked back at him from the bathroom mirror every morning. Maybe he should talk to Weasley when Granger wasn't around.  
  
He went back to his own table. Blaise Zabini was chatting with Pansy Parkinson.  
  
"Zabini?" Blaise looked around at Draco. "Has Granger ever hexed you?"  
  
Blaise got a horrified look on his face, and ignoring Pansy, he grabbed Draco's robes and muttered, "Don't get on her bad side, you hear me, Draco? Stay away from Granger."  
  
Draco glanced across the hall at Granger, who was still wearing that smirk.  
  
"Zabini?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let go of my robes."  
  
Ginny walked down to the Quidditch field three days later, carrying Harry's Firebolt. He was listening to his Triwizard egg and nodded without letting her finish her sentence when she had asked if she could borrow it. She mounted the broom and soared out over the grass. She flew low and skimmed the grass with her knees, her legs tucked under her, then straight up, hovering two hundred feet in the air. She laughed giddily, loving the way the Firebolt responded to every move of her hips and hands. She circled the field twice before noticing a lone figure in the stands.  
  
"Malfoy," she muttered to herself, not bothering to look closer. She knew it was him. She dove down to where he was sitting. He had a pair of Omnioculars in his lap.  
  
"What are you doing here, Malfoy? I thought I told you-"  
  
"I'm not harassing you, I'm not fighting with you, and I didn't start this conversation, so I am still legally within my rights in the Weasley and Granger lawbook, am I not?" drawled Malfoy, his eyes glittering again. Ginny thought about it and realized he was right. He wasn't doing anything she'd told him not to. She glared at him and flew off without a word. The giddy feeling was gone, though. She couldn't have any fun knowing that he was watching her. Probably staring at her hair.  
  
She landed in front of him again. "Why are you watching me?"  
  
"Am I going to have to go to Pomfrey to get my lip put together again if I talk to you?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Not if you keep your hands to yourself," she retorted. "Why are you watching me? And will you stop staring at my bloody hair?"  
  
"Maybe if you said please."  
  
"Please stop staring at my bloody hair." Ginny was actually having fun. He wasn't jibing at her soft spots or insulting her.  
  
"And stop using swear words." He kept looking at her hair pointedly.  
  
"It's your personality, it naturally calls for swear words."  
  
"Ah! So you admit I have a personality and I'm not a sarcastic lump of ice?" He looked triumphant. Still at her hair, though.  
  
"No, ice melts."  
  
"I can melt too. You just have to have the right kind of flame."  
  
"Like this?" Ginny waved some of her hair at him teasingly.  
  
He stared at it hungrily. "Yes, exactly like that."  
  
Ginny dropped the hair. "Too bad. This particular flame wants to keep burning. It might melt some ice later. If the ice is being nice."  
  
Malfoy shrugged nonchalantly. Ginny could tell he was having fun too.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"Can you please stop staring at my hair?"  
  
He slowly took his eyes off the fire lying on her shoulder and locked his eyes onto hers. She felt a shiver run up her spine. Then he looked back at her hair.  
  
"Sorry. Your hair's much more interesting than your eyes. If you want me to look at your eyes, you have to do more than say please."  
  
"What do I have to do?"  
  
Malfoy shook his head. "You'd have to let me kiss you, and of course I won't do that, because then you'd bite my lip off, and do that something more you mentioned the other day, probably punching me in a sensitive place, and then after that I've got Granger to reckon with. She said she'll hex me if I say a word to you. Which of course I'm doing now, so if you don't mind, I'm leaving before she catches me and does a hex on me. All I know is it won't be Jelly-Legs."  
  
Ginny shook her head too. "You wouldn't really stop staring at my hair if I let you kiss me, would you?"  
  
"Probably not. But I'd try."  
  
"There is no try. There is only do or do not."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Oh, it's a- I mean, it's just something my dad says." Ginny had been about to say 'it's a Muggle thing' but she realized that wouldn't go over very well with a Malfoy. Strange, she had almost forgotten it was Malfoy. He was acting so... nice.  
  
Malfoy laughed. Ginny sat up straight and looked at him, wide-eyed.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Oh. Nothing." He had laughed a laugh she had never heard before. She had heard a cold, hard, cruel laugh when he was tormenting other students, including her, but never this laugh. It was clear and happy. It was that laugh that made her wonder if she should try to melt him. Perhaps she had already begun.  
  
Draco felt good. Ginny kept him on his toes in conversation, unlike all the other girls. 'Yes, Draco.' 'No, Draco.' 'Three bags full, Draco.' 'Oh, you're so handsome, Draco.' Ginny wasn't like that. He realized he was calling her Ginny in his mind. It must be because the name Weasley reminded him of her idiot brother.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy, anybody home?" She was waving her hand in front of his face.  
  
"Oh, sorry. Just thinking. What did you say?"  
  
"Nothing important." She looked at her lap.  
  
"Hey Weasley."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Feel like melting some ice? Or is that classified as harassment in your rulebook?"  
  
Ginny shook her head, smiling softly. "The flame needs to know that the ice can be melted before it gets too close. If it got too close and found that the ice wouldn't melt, the flame might go out. I don't want my flame to go out."  
  
Draco put his hand on hers. "Maybe the ice is already melting."  
  
"The question is, once it's melted, will it become a puddle of water?"  
  
"No. I think it will take on a shape of its own," Draco murmured into her ear. He started to lean in, then pulled back. "I'm not going to end up scrabbling under the benches for a piece of my lip, am I?"  
  
Ginny giggled. "Not if you're gentle. Not if you don't pin my arms down."  
  
"No, I think I'll let your hands roam." Draco kissed her softly, then more passionately, then pulled back and felt his lips. "No chunks missing?"  
  
"Nope. Well, I'm going to turn in." Ginny mounted the Firebolt and stopped. "Oh, and Malfoy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"The rules still stand. And I'm not your girlfriend." She soared off toward the castle.  
  
"And good night to you too," murmured Draco. He smiled to himself. He had won the battle, but there were more to come. He was halfway to his common room when he wondered, 'Now where the bloody hell did she get a Firebolt?'  
  
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Remember I said that the people above have been inducted into the Cult of the Arctic Coconut? Well, you can be a member too! You don't have to shave your head, wear funny-looking robes or shun the world. All you have to do is write a few lines about what you think of my story in the little window that will pop up if you click the button right..  
  
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	3. Between Battles

Okay, here's my excuses: I moved, I got a boyfriend, we got a new puppy who isn't housebroken, I don't have any furniture, and I lost my Avril Lavigne CD. Yes, I know none of them are legitimate, but at least I have some!  
  
Okay, reviewer responses. And I apologize for capitals where they aren't supposed to be, it's the word processor.  
  
Riotgirl1197: I'm sorry about the long wait, especially as I was asked so kindly by so many people to update soon. Thanks for the "favs" label, I'm loving every minute of it!  
  
Forbidden: Glad you found it amusing, I apologize for my distinct lack of humor in this chapter. Actually, I apologize for this chapter in general, it really sucked.  
  
Skyblusilver: Yes, I am trying to make Ginny seem very able to fend for herself. Too many people portray her otherwise. I agree that Draco is too nice, but don't worry, he's not like that to everyone. I'm afraid there won't be a whole ton of fluff in this story, but I promise you at least two more scenes, and I'll try to make 'em long, just for you!  
  
MeteorLight8: That particular question is exactly why I wrote this story. How did Ginny get over Harry and together with Michael? I don't think JKR is going to clear that up, so I decided to figure it out for myself. And it's gonna be hard making it fit in with the original story (remember, this takes place in Book 4).  
  
Mayday20: I plan to! If you like my writing, you can look at my other stories, although they're all single-pages so far except this one.  
  
Kawaiiness (sorry if I totally screwed your name up!): Michael will come into the picture later, but he definitely will have a part. It was said in Book 5 that Ginny met him at the Yule Ball and got together with him at the end of the school year, so I'm going with that. But you're right, I haven't mentioned him yet. And thank you for putting me on your favorites list! You're the first!  
  
Kerbi: Ooh, did the review arrow turn out okay? I forgot to check! No, no margarine, I wasn't sure how to fit it in with the Quidditch context. But see if you can find it in this chapter, I promise you will enjoy it.  
  
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Ginny took a deep breath and walked up to Draco Malfoy. She was about to do one of the hardest things she'd ever done. "Malfoy, can I have a minute?" she asked. A brief smile passed across his face, soon replaced by his usual look of cold indifference. She led him into a nearby passage. Then she realized what passage it was and felt her face turn red.  
  
"What do you want, Weasley?" Malfoy asked, looking around. "This isn't going to be a repeat performance, is it? Because I happen to like my jaw the way it is."  
  
"No, I was just wondering if. if you still wanted to help me in Potions," Ginny blurted out quickly, getting it over with.  
  
"Oh, so now you're admitting you need it, hmm?"  
  
Swallow your pride, Ginny told herself. "Yes, I do. Will you help me?"  
  
"With Potions? Or is this just an excuse to get me alone?" Malfoy raised one eyebrow and smiled seductively.  
  
That was it. One person could only swallow so much pride without choking on it. "No, I do not want to get you alone, you pervert! I just got my third D from Snape and-" Ginny stopped abruptly. She hadn't meant to tell him that. But too late now. "And I have to raise my grade or my mum will kill me," she finished lamely.  
  
"Your third D?" Malfoy looked surprised. That wasn't good. Not much could faze him. "You do need help!"  
  
"Yes, I do, or else I wouldn't be asking you of all people for it!"  
  
"Why not Granger?"  
  
That stopped Ginny in her tracks. She hadn't thought of Hermione. It was obvious now. She felt stupid. "I- she has a lot of homework."  
  
"I'm in her year, you know. I have the same amount of homework she does."  
  
Ginny wished she could disappear. "I guess I'll ask her then. Sorry for bothering you." She started to walk past him, but he stepped in her way.  
  
"I didn't say I wouldn't help you."  
  
Ginny felt even more stupid now. Why on earth had she asked Malfoy anyway? She couldn't pay him, she barely knew him, and besides, he was a Slytherin after all. "Never mind. It's okay, I should have thought of Hermione before." She knew why she had asked him. Because he had seemed so nice the previous day. He had led her on, just like she had sworn she wouldn't let him. "Move it, Malfoy."  
  
He did. She almost wished he hadn't- this was proof that he wasn't himself. She snorted inwardly. As if she needed proof, after the last two weeks. Kissing Draco Malfoy. What had she been thinking? And enjoying it too!  
  
"Weasley?" Malfoy was looking at her, puzzled. She realized she had been standing there glaring at him for twenty seconds. She felt as if she had a balloon inside her, a balloon full of her anger, confusion, frustration, and energy, and that Malfoy had just popped it. She didn't know why. He hadn't said or done anything wrong. But somehow, that one little word was enough to trigger an avalanche of her pent-up emotions. She watched helplessly as her lips moved of their own accord.  
  
"Just shut up, Malfoy! Shut your sniveling, lying, smirking face! Stop trying to take advantage of me, stop pretending you're a decent person! I've known you since I came to Hogwarts and in all that time you've never said one civil word to me! Not one! Not until you started seeing me as another pretty little toy to play with, another girl to say you've snogged! And I was stupid enough to believe that I could change you. Well, I was wrong! You are a cruel, arrogant idiot! I would rather eat a tub of margarine and Snape's hair grease than-"  
  
"Ginny."  
  
"-spend one more minute wasting my- what?"  
  
"I said, Ginny."  
  
Ginny deflated. Well, the balloon did.  
  
Malfoy was looking at her with a strange emotion on his face. "I don't think you're a toy to play with. I don't want to take advantage of you. I don't even care if you snog me or not. Just- don't yell at me."  
  
Ginny took a deep breath and let it out. Then she realized what the emotion in his eyes was. It was respect.  
  
"Do you want help in Potions?" Malfoy was looking at her eyes, not her hair.  
  
"Yes, I would."  
  
"Okay. I'll meet you in the dungeon next to Snape's classroom tonight at five."  
  
"Could you make it six? I want to go watch- I mean, I have something else I'm doing at five." Ginny blushed. She had been watching Harry's Quidditch practices lately.  
  
Malfoy murmured something. Ginny caught the words 'obsessed' and 'life'. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Nothing. I'll see you at six then."  
  
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Really sorry about the long wait and the sucky short chapter, I have had writers' block, but I swear I'll put the next chapter up soon! * offers butt for kicking * And it will be better, I promise! 


	4. Points Are Scored

This is to make up for the week and a half of no updates. Two chapters in one day. * sighs * I'm worn out. Oh well. No reviews since the last chapter, so I don't have to put any responses. Instead, I'm going to give you a list of good fics to read.  
  
"Betrayed" by Kerbi. Let's put it this way: it's a 74-chapter fic that starts with Hermione's innocent crush on Harry and is now in the middle of a heated lovers' rectangle between Hermione, Draco, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Draco's long-lost sister, Aleah. Yeah. Exactly. Read the default chapter, it's really amusing.  
  
"Romantic Liaisons" by Asterix. I can't really summarize this. It's good and it's slash.  
  
"Read Me!" By George luver. You don't want to read this. Trust me. Here's a little excerpt. "Draco: Singing career? Are you crazy? There isn't one. I've taken up fishing."  
  
"Darkness or Light What Is Your Choice?" by Kalariona. I know the title sucks but it's a good story, promise. Slash though, be careful. Kalariona, if you're reading this, UPDATE!!!!! I haven't seen an update in like a month!  
  
"This Thing Called Love" by bonkers. Ginny has a disease. Her only chance of surviving is to get pregnant. Guess who's asked to do the deed? Everyone's favorite star Quidditch player, Harry Potter! (Okay, I can't make up my own summaries, but most of these are better than the originals.) Another person to say: if you're reading this, update!  
  
"Hung over Blues" by goldie2. Harry and Draco get drunk and do stuff they never meant to. What happens next? They do it again a week later, of course!  
  
"Destined to be" by mony2208. Sucky title, but it's a good story. How did Lily and James go from hating each other to marrying each other? If you like "Flaming Hair," read this. It's the same, only funnier and longer.  
  
"Smile of a Snake" by Wolf of Avalon. Lucius is cheating on Severus with James, who's cheating with Lucius on Sirius, who doesn't have a clue that Remus loves him, and Severus runs in on Remus singing naked, and.. Do I have to warn you of slash?  
  
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Draco was waiting in the dungeon when Ginny got there. He noticed her hair again. How could he not? It was even wilder than usual and her cheeks were pink. She had obviously just come from watching Potter at Quidditch practice. Draco frowned. She was obviously obsessed over the Boy Who Lived. More like the Boy Who Lived Through Last Year's Exams Because Of Granger, Draco thought.  
  
"Okay, Malfoy, let's get a few things straight here," Ginny said briskly, setting down her book bag. "First, I'm here because I want to pass Potions, not because I want to lick your shoes like the ignorant masses who worship any guy with white teeth and a bed."  
  
"Subtle, aren't you?"  
  
"Shut up and listen. Second, you are not to stare at my hair, or any other part of my body. I will not refrain from informing Hermione, Dumbledore, and your parents if I think it's necessary."  
  
Draco made a zipping motion over his mouth and smiled. Ginny rolled her eyes and continued. "And third, I want to discuss payment issues." He pointed to his lips and raised his eyebrows. She sighed. "You can talk."  
  
"I don't want or need any money," he said immediately.  
  
"Well, I can't exactly let you do it for nothing. What do you want?"  
  
Draco remembered what she had said about Hermione, Dumbledore and his parents, and decided not to say what he really wanted. "Um, I don't- oh, I know. Call me Draco."  
Ginny failed to hide her surprise. "I can do that, but it's not exactly payment."  
  
"It's all I want that you've got. Well, that and a Firebolt. You could steal Potter's for me. Or not," he added, seeing her expression.  
  
"I'm not letting you help me just for calling you by your first name," she stated firmly.  
  
"Seems to me you don't have much choice. I saw that History of Magic essay of Granger's, it was three feet longer than what Binns asked for. She doesn't have any extra time to help. You're going to fail Potions if you don't do something about it. Call it a favor I'm doing for you. Now you owe me one. Okay?"  
  
She thought about it, then shrugged. "You're right. There isn't anything else I can do. But if you think of anything, you have to tell me. I don't like owing you a favor big enough for something like this." She took out her homework. "Let's get started, then."  
  
"Wait, let me see if I remember this. You're not here to snog, I can't look at you or you'll tattle, and you'll stop calling me Malfoy. Have I got it straight?"  
  
"Close enough, I guess," she said. "I said stare, though, not look."  
  
"Same difference. Add that to the rules you've already set, and I can't look at you, talk to you, or touch you. How exactly am I going to help you with your homework?"  
  
Ginny sighed, exasperated. "If you put it that way! I-"  
  
"Relax, I was kidding. So it's prolonged looking, talking in harsh tones or about unacceptable things, and touching without your okay, right?"  
  
"Yes! Can we start with the homework already?"  
  
Draco grinned happily and looked at her assignment. "So you're supposed to write a two-foot essay on-" he blinked "-bubble bath? Am I reading this right?"  
  
Ginny blushed a deep shade of red. "Well, that potion I screwed up last week? It turns out the reason it turned pink and started bubbling was that I had my jar of bubble bath in my ingredient bag and accidentally put it in instead of the powdered snake fangs. The jars looked exactly alike. And so Snape told me to write an essay on what kind of effects the bubble bath would have had if I'd added a unicorn tail hair like I was supposed to."  
  
"Do I dare to ask why you had bubble bath in your ingredient bag?"  
  
"A friend in Ravenclaw borrowed it and gave it back to me right before Potions, so I just stuck it in my bag."  
  
Draco nodded slowly. "Okay, and what would have happened?"  
  
"Well, that's the part I'm not so sure about. I mean, I don't even know what's in that bubble bath." She blushed an even deeper shade of red.  
  
Draco stared down at his hands thoughtfully. She seemed absent-minded, and he knew why. All her thoughts were focused on Potter. She was obsessed with him. He had seen her doodling pictures of him fighting off merpeople after the second task. There was no way she could improve in Potions unless she managed to ease up with the fixation. He couldn't do anything unless she trusted him, though, and she didn't yet.  
  
An hour later, Ginny packed away her things and got up. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Thanks, Draco."  
  
"You're welcome, Ginny." He smiled again, that clear, sincere smile she'd only seen that day at the Quidditch field. "Again day after tomorrow?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You fly really well."  
  
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Cinnamon buns to all of ya! Review! Review! Review! Review!  
  
Oh my god, I just realized I have not put one single disclaimer on any of these chapters! Frig frig frig frig frig! Okay, here: I own nothing except margarine and a fridge to put it in. Sorry, JKR!  
  
(Shutting up.) 


	5. Draco's Ultimate Defeat

I'm going to tell all you readers a sad little story before we get to the real story:  
  
Every morning, after breakfast, she goes to her computer. She opens the lid of the laptop reverently, hopefully. She logs in.. clicks her e-mail application.. holds her breath in desperation.. and.. nothing. Not one review. No one has bothered to acknowledge her hours of tireless dedication to bring you this story. No one cares. She signs out and closes the laptop. Dejected and broken, she sits for a moment. A lone tear makes its way down her sallow cheek. This is the story of her life. She is alone.  
  
Okay, maybe that was a little bit of an exaggeration, but I do appreciate reviews a lot.  
  
To my sad numbers of reviewers of the last chapter so far:  
  
Fresh-AngelBabe: No, the coconuts are in the Arctic. We eat margarine. If we ate coconuts, we'd all come down with Alzheimer's. I think.  
  
Hplova4eva: Thanks for the long, detailed review :P j/k short and sweet is good too. Actually, at this point, ANY review is acceptable.  
  
Forbidden: Well, you sort of already do know how it turns out, right? I mean, you've read the fifth book? I guess I'm just good at suspense *preens and kicks laughing reader in rear end * BTW, thank you for reviewing more than once. It wouldn't kill the rest of you to do that, you know!  
  
Please review, please please please!  
  
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Ginny's Potions grades improved rapidly over the next month. It was a sunny yet chilly day in mid-April when disaster struck.  
  
Draco lounged against a bush, reading a letter from his mother. He heard voices from the other side of the bush.  
  
"Come on, Hermione, just another inch is all I need, I swear. I won't even copy, I'll write it in my own words, like you always say. Please?"  
  
"Ron, no! If you had planned this out, you would have done all this days ago."  
  
"We've only got five minutes until class. I won't ask you for help again until after the Easter holidays, okay?"  
  
"That's what you said three days ago when you needed help with your Potions assignment."  
  
"And who helped me then, eh? Ginny, that's who! You didn't do anything, so that doesn't count."  
  
"How she's gotten so good at Potions so fast, I don't know. Wasn't she averaging a D last month?"  
  
Draco smiled. He didn't blame her for not telling them. He knew what the Gryffindors would do to her if they knew she'd been studying with him. He also knew what the Slytherins would do to him of they found out he'd been tutoring her. Better to keep it quiet.  
  
"Yeah, she was. I dunno what happened."  
  
"She's been really secretive lately, too, have you noticed? Never mind, of course you haven't. But I think she's hiding something."  
  
"Oh, great. Remember the last time she was hiding something? How that turned out?"  
  
"Oh Ron, she's not being possessed by the Heir of Slytherin again."  
  
"I was talking about Percy's girlfriend. We better get to class, we'll be late.."  
  
Draco got up, folding the letter. He had to get to class too. He followed them back to the castle, still listening in on their conversation, which had turned to Rita Skeeter.  
  
"What I want to know is how she manages to get around Hogwarts when she's banned here. I mean, it's not an invisibility cloak, Moody said so. And there was nobody around at the second task, when Viktor-"  
  
"So what did you say to Vicky? Are you going to go snog him over the summer?"  
  
"I haven't decided whether to visit him or not yet. Besides, that's none of your business."  
  
"It is so my business! You're my friend, I care about you going off to Bulgaria with an eighteen-year-old you hardly know!"  
  
"I'll discuss that with my parents, thanks. Anyway, there wasn't anyone around, so Skeeter must be using some kind of spell to listen in-"  
  
Draco smirked to himself. If only she knew. He couldn't wait until Skeeter was found out. She would be, eventually. Then she'd be the one all the stories were written about. He wouldn't tattle, though. He liked the articles she wrote about Potter. He fingered his "Support Cedric Diggory!" badge. Then-  
  
"MALFOY!"  
  
He looked up, startled. Weasley and Granger had stopped talking and were both looking at him.  
  
"He's been listening to us!" Weasley said, outraged.  
  
"I didn't know it was against the rules to walk along a Hogwarts corridor," Draco said lightly.  
  
"How long have you been eavesdropping?" Weasley demanded loudly.  
  
"I think I came in on the bit where you were begging Granger to let you copy because you hadn't finished your homework. Typical of a Weasley, shirking. From what my father tells me about Arthur Weasley, you've got it in your blood. That and an inability to recognize a Galleon. I suppose if you've never seen something, you can hardly be expected to-"  
  
Draco was cut off my a sharp pain in the back of his head, followed by a sharp pain in his nose as he crashed into the floor.  
  
"You go, girl!" he heard Granger say loudly. Draco rolled over. Ginny was standing there, sleeves rolled up, cold gaze directed at him.  
  
"Nobody says things like that about my family, Malfoy."  
  
This was a different Ginny than the one he helped with Potions, joked and laughed with. The warmth was gone from her eyes, replaced by ice. Draco noted how much prettier she was in a good mood. Then he noted the wand in her hand. Not good.  
Draco rose to his feet, backing away from her. Then he felt two more wands pressing into his back. He realized the position he was in. Then he decided that pointing out that Ginny was supposed to call him Draco would not be the best plan of action.  
  
"Apologize to Ron." Ginny's voice was quiet but firm.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." When three wands were pointed at you, and one of them was Granger's, it was not the time for dignity.  
  
Ginny turned to her brother and Granger. "Don't mention this to Harry."  
  
"Why not?" Weasley asked, puzzled.  
  
"We won't," Granger said firmly. "Don't worry, Ginny."  
  
Her fiery locks twisted and tossed as she glared at Draco again. "Don't bother with the dungeon tomorrow. I'm done."  
  
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Okay, imagine a gold medallion dangling from a thin chain. It is swinging, so beautiful. You are sucked into the abyss of gleaming gold.. Back and forth, back and forth.. review. review... review... review... 


	6. A New Combatant

I did a Google search for "Snape and Neville" and found some really, um, interesting fics. We live in a crazy world.  
  
Review responses:  
  
Kerbi: Thank you for faithfully reviewing every chapter so far! You rock! I'm afraid your suggestion about the bubble bath was a bit. um. adult for a PG rated fic. Remember, Ginny is thirteen and Draco is fourteen here, I do try to keep that age range decent. (Speaking of decent, did Harry and Ginny *just * kiss in that last chapter of "Betrayed"? Because these people are what, sixteen, seventeen? There is no way you can put six seventeen-year- olds of mixed sexes into an apartment together for that long and expect them to behave themselves. I mean, come on!)  
  
Hplova4eva: Didn't you already say that? Hey, support is support. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
JupiterS12: Yay! I absolutely love it when people put me on their favs! You are a brilliant, beautiful, intelligent, understanding, supportive individual and I love you! (Actually, I agree with you about the idea of the story being fab, but I have no idea where it came from. Blame my guardian angel.)  
  
Dani-Marie: I don't want to. Unfortunately, I have to make it fit in with the actual books. But I promise there will be more Ginny/Draco confrontation before the end. I'm not sure where that Zabini bit came from, it kind of flowed out onto the screen before I could stop it. Then I kind of liked it, so I left it. Thanks for reviewing more than once, by the way.  
  
To other readers: The Cult of the Arctic Coconut needs members! Review!  
  
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God, what a total jerk! He's been so nice to me, but it was all an act. He just wanted another girl, like Hermione said back in March. I almost fell for him too. Ugh!  
  
Ginny stormed through the corridors blindly, not caring where she was going or who she bumped into on the way. Her thoughts were whirling wildly.  
  
As soon as I'm not around, he just goes back to being the insensitive, cruel person he's always been. How could I think he could change? How could I be so blind?  
  
"Ouch! Ginny!"  
  
She looked up. A face swam in front of her. She realized she was crying and brushed away the tears impatiently. It was a boy she'd met at the Yule Ball, Michael Corner.  
  
Ginny mumbled an apology and pushed around him. She was not in the mood to talk. He grabbed her arm. "Wait, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine."  
  
"You're crying, your robes are a mess, you're holding your wand tighter than Diggory at the first task and you just crashed into me like I wasn't there. You can't tell me nothing's wrong. Come on, Ginny, let's go get you some tea."  
  
Ginny stared blankly. Tea?  
  
He took her hand, propelling her through halls and down staircases until she realized where they were going. When they reached the portrait, Ginny tickled the pear. Michael stared at her for a moment. "You've been here before?" he asked, looking astonished.  
  
"You're forgetting who my brothers are," Ginny replied, trying to grin.  
  
"Oh yeah, the legendary Weasleys. They tell you this stuff?"  
  
"No. I follow them around sometimes. I hear them talking." She had stolen their Marauders' Map once and figured out how to work it, but she didn't want to tell him about that. She watched the wriggling pear turn into a doorknob. Michael reached out for it, and-  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
It was Draco. Malfoy! Not Draco! Ginny reminded herself. She ignored him and stepped into the kitchen. Michael followed, looking utterly confused. Ginny slammed the portrait shut just in time. She knew the doorknob had turned back into a pear and unless he knew the secret, Malfoy wouldn't be able to follow.  
  
"What was that about?" Michael asked.  
  
"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it. So how've you been? I haven't seen you since-" Ginny stopped dead, remembering the last time she'd seen him.  
  
Flashback:  
Ginny sat holding a bag of ice to her foot, while Neville apologized over and over. "It's okay, Neville. I'm fine, Neville. Go dance with Susan Bones, why don't you, Neville?"  
  
"But you're my date!"  
  
"It's okay. I'm too hot anyway. I'm going for a walk. You have fun, okay?" Ginny got up and, wincing, made her way out to the garden. The fairies glittered above the rose bushes. She sat on a bench and breathed deeply. Ginny despised big crowds indoors. She preferred open air.  
  
She got up again and strolled between the roses. Her robes snagged on a thorn. Stopping to untangle it, she noticed a couple snogging a few feet away. She tried to move off quietly so as not to disturb them. When Ginny looked back on it later, she wished she had turned around instead of backing away.  
  
Ginny backed straight into a rose bush, sticking her rear end and legs with thorns. She yelled several colorful words, ending with a curse on roses, rose thorns and snogging couples in general.  
  
The snogging couple in question had stopped snogging and were staring at her in surprise. The boy looked highly amused, the girl highly annoyed.  
  
"Sorry," whispered Ginny and tiptoed off as quietly as she could, although that was hardly necessary. Everyone within a 200-foot radius was staring at her.  
  
Later in the evening, Ginny was back inside. She preferred indoor crowds to public humiliation any day. A boy sat down next to her, smiling. She recognized him immediately and felt her face change to match her hair.  
  
"I-" she began, with some vague idea of getting away from there as soon as possible.  
  
"I hate the thorns too," he interrupted, showing her a bleeding mark on his hand. "But Marietta likes roses, that's how she managed to get me out there. I should have asked someone else. She's no fun at all, really."  
  
"You looked like you were having enough fun to me," Ginny answered without thinking, then clapped a hand over her mouth. He laughed and offered his undamaged hand.  
  
"Michael Corner. I'm in Ravenclaw."  
  
"Ginny Weasley, Gryffindor."  
  
They spent the rest of the evening chatting. Marietta glared daggers at Ginny, but ignored Michael after she found a handsome Durmstrang boy to dance with. Ginny heard her say, "I simply love roses. We have a fabulous garden here, would you like to see it?"  
  
Michael got up and yawned. "I think I'm going to bed. It's been nice talking to you."  
  
"Likewise. Goodnight!"  
  
End flashback  
  
"Since the Yule Ball!" Ginny finished. "How's Marietta?"  
  
"Oh, her? I think she's dating Terry Boot now. Hey, can we have some tea, please?" Michael called to a house-elf, who bowed and zoomed a silver tea service to them instantly. "Thank you!"  
  
"Oh, you broke up with her?" Ginny sat down on the floor next to the tea service.  
  
He nodded and sat down next to her. "She's too clingy. I hate girls like that."  
  
Ginny moved away from him an inch.  
  
"So how've you been? Are you still dating Neville Longbottom?"  
  
Ginny laughed. "Oh, I never dated him. I just went to the Yule Ball with him because I'm not in fourth year and nobody else asked me." Except Harry, she thought longingly. Harry would have gone with me if I'd waited another two days.  
  
"So does that mean you're available?"  
  
"Stop that right now," Ginny commanded. She'd never liked flirting much.  
  
"Okay, okay. Here." He handed her a mug, and she drank, although she wasn't upset anymore. "So are you going to tell me why you were crying?"  
  
"Someone I thought was my friend. isn't. I'm not the type of girl who cries a lot, you know."  
  
Michael patted her arm reassuringly. "It's okay, I don't think you're a sissy or anything. I've cried before too. Everyone does. It's nothing to be ashamed of."  
  
Ginny drained her cup and stood up. "I have to go. I think I've missed Divination, not that it matters. Divination is a load of hooey, I should never have taken it. And Michael?"  
  
He stood up too. "Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
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Review? Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with- okay, Kerbi, I won't say it *sighs * 


	7. Is The War Finished?

I want to tell you all that a very sweet, wonderful, kind, intelligent person put a threat in his story that he wouldn't update for a month unless people reviewed my story. Thank you Forbidden! If you came here because of that, please review and mention it!  
  
To my reviewers: THANK YOU! I opened my inbox today and there were five reviews waiting for me, along with another three on FF.net and I just checked my e-mail again and there were three more. You boosted my confidence so much that I decided to write a chapter today instead of waiting until tomorrow like I'd planned. See what happens when you review? Nice things happen! You reviewers ROCK!  
  
Individual responses:  
  
Yugi's Little Sister: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it!  
  
Forbidden: We may yet, Mr. Frodo. We may. *ahem * sorry. I might do a sequel, not sure yet. Or I might just continue this! I never said it would only be eight chapters or whatever, did I? Thanks for the little publicity booster, see note above.  
  
marvindamartian: Thank you for telling me about my anonymous reviews thing, I thought I had changed that but I looked and lo and behold, you were right! Thank you for the long review (hey, anything for more!).  
  
Sailor Catastrophe: Will do, glad you like it. If you want to be e-mailed when new chapters come up, you can set up Auto Alert, which will tell you when I put up a new chapter. But that does it for all my stories, not just this one, so I will e-mail you until further notice.  
  
Kerbi: Yes, I am very proud of you! I must read this slash fic of yours! Thanks for the confidence booster about the reviews, maybe I'll continue this until I have 77 chaps like "Betrayed"! Then maybe I'll have, god, how many is it? Have you topped a million yet? (Sorry, I'm just a little bitter *sobs *) No, I did not put margarine in "Pain and Destiny". That is quite definitely not a margarine fic. Have you checked out "Love, Hate and the Longbottoms"? I added another chapter.. And sorry, but they are not taking any baths. You're scandalized by my comment about when you wrote that bit with Harry throwing Ginny down on the floor and making out with her and I thought it might be a lemon, but you're still making sick comments about bubble bath? Ugh! That ain't right, in the words of Blair. (Sorry about that, BTW.) And sorry about this super-long response, but you did review like 5 times, and that is a good thing!  
  
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Draco stood in front of the portrait, staring at the spot where the handle had disappeared. Was this the Gryffindor common room? It couldn't be. That boy with her had been a Ravenclaw. Was it a secret room? Maybe he was her boyfriend. Draco fought down a pang of envy and turned slowly away. There was no point in hanging around. He didn't want to seem like he was stalking her. She was angry enough at him as it was.  
  
Why was she so mad, anyway? She knew he tortured her brother and Granger all the time. Maybe if Potter had been there, she would have acted differently. But why had she been so angry?  
  
He tried to remember what he had said. He had said Weasley was begging to copy Granger, but that was nothing new. Ginny knew her brother did that all the time. Then he had said some thing about the inability to recognize a Galleon. That must have been it. All these Weasleys were so touchy about the fact that they were dirt poor.  
  
Draco rubbed his nose and discovered that it was swelling where it had hit the floor. He swore aloud. That was brilliant, just brilliant. He tried to remember if anyone had been watching him torment Weasley. He thought the corridor had been empty, but he wasn't quite sure.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy," said a voice behind him. Draco turned around. It was Fred Weasley.  
  
"What do you want?" Draco snarled. He didn't really feel like a battle of wits, although it was preferable to a battle of wands. Weasley was in the sixth year.  
  
"I want to know what you and Ginny have been doing in the dungeon twice a week for the last month," Fred said coolly. Draco's chin dropped.  
  
"How- how did you- I don't-"  
  
"George and I know a lot more than we tell people." Fred twirled his wand in his fingers. Draco had never noticed before how tall he was. Or how muscular. This was not good.  
  
"I've been helping her with her Potions homework."  
  
"Yeah, and Professor Moody's been helping Hagrid plant watermelons. I want the truth, Malfoy."  
  
"That is the truth!" Draco knew he was in a bad position. It did sound like a lousy lie.  
  
Fred snorted. "Can you honestly say that you have never kissed my little sister?"  
  
Images of a Quidditch stand and a Firebolt raced through Draco's head. "Um, well, not exactly, but-"  
  
"I thought so. Although I can't say I expected you to be honest about it."  
  
Draco did not feel well. His head hurt, his nose was throbbing, and unless he was very much mistaken, he was going to be stumbling into the common room in about half an hour bleeding. He thought longingly of his old, proud, dignified, cold, smirking self.  
  
"Actually, I only kissed her once, and that was a long time ago."  
  
"Okay, maybe you won't be honest about it after all."  
  
"Ask her! She'll tell you!"  
  
"Where is she, then?" Weasley kept twirling. Draco decided not to mention Muggle cheerleaders and their batons.  
  
"She went through a door behind a portrait of fruit, down there." He pointed down the staircase. Weasley's eyes widened, but he remained calm.  
  
"All right then. Come on."  
  
Two minutes later, they arrived at the portrait. Weasley reached out toward the pear, but before he could do anything, the portrait opened. Ginny and the Ravenclaw came out.  
  
"Ginny, wait!" Draco said quickly as she whirled around and made to go back.  
  
Fred took her arm. "Gin, hang on. What's going on here?"  
  
Ginny kept right on whirling until she faced her brother and Draco. Draco took a step back. He knew that gleam in her eye.  
  
"What's going on? What's going ON? What's going on is none of your business, Fred! This is my life, my problems, and I'm going to deal with it. If I want your help, I will ask for it. I've had to ask worse people for help, trust me." She glared scathingly at Draco, who winced, and continued, "I am SO sick of this crap! Every time something happens, a little tangle in my life, I have six brothers pouncing on me and trying to fight my fights and coddle me like I'm made of bloody PORCELAIN! I can take care of myself, you know! I've got fists and a wand and I can use them! Just because I'm a girl and you're all boys doesn't mean you have to watch out for me every second of my life. I can handle things without half a dozen macho bodyguards to take care of me. And you know what? I'm not putting up with that anymore! From now on, you can just leave me alone!"  
  
Fred's eyes were the size of saucers. Draco tried not to grin. Obviously, Ginny acted the innocent little sister around her brothers. He was willing to bet Fred had never seen her blow up like this. It was rather funny.  
  
The Ravenclaw was also staring, but not in surprise like Weasley. Draco saw awe and admiration in his eyes. Perhaps he had never seen her like this either.  
  
Ginny turned to Draco. "I would personally be happy if I never saw you again in my life, ferret. As that obviously isn't going to happen, I'm going to pretend all this never happened. Come on, Michael. I'll walk you to your common room."  
  
She took the Ravenclaw's hand almost defiantly and walked off. Her brother stared after her, then took off in the opposite direction.  
  
Ginny was proud of herself. She had let out the feelings she wanted to without spilling everything else. And she was perfectly calm, not storming off in a huff. She only wished all her brothers had been there to see it.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
She looked at Michael, smiling warmly. "Yeah?"  
  
"Why haven't I seen you around Hogwarts since the Yule Ball?"  
  
"People tend not to notice me. And you know why? Because I'm so god damn obsessed with one person I don't have time for anyone else. And that's crazy. Everybody needs more than one person in their life. So I'm going to change that. There's no point in obsessing over him, I realize that now. He doesn't like me and he never will."  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
Ginny laughed. "No, definitely not. He just managed to pull the wool over my eyes. But you know what? I'm glad. Because when I managed to claw that wool away, I could see a lot clearer than I ever could before."  
  
"Do you think I could be one of those other people in your life?"  
  
Ginny smiled. "Of course." They reached the Ravenclaw common room entrance.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Can I kiss you?"  
  
Ginny smiled again and wrapped her arms around his neck. 


	8. No

Sorry about the no-reviews-for-like-a-week thing. College classes just started up again, plus I have a poster to make and a ton of housework to do (I'm explaining it not excusing it). Will try to do better!  
  
Okay, I have a retraction to announce. I made a mistake. In Chap. 1, when Ginny is daydreaming about Harry, she mentions that he was heroic at the second task, but in Chap. 2, it says he was listening to his Triwizard egg when she asks to borrow his Firebolt. (What happened to that egg, by the way? Surely he didn't just throw it away?) Anyway, apologies, and it will be changed eventually. Please let me know if you find any other mistakes, I want this story to be as good as possible!  
  
Reviewer responses:  
  
Hplova4eva: Back to the standby, huh? J/k, more is coming!  
  
Forbidden: OOPS! So sorry! No offense meant! (And I agree, Draco is a git, but I love him anyway.)  
  
marvindamartian: Did I say there would be no more D/G fluff? Did I? Hmm? I do have more of a plot than just what's in the HP books, you know. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Kerbi: About your little blow-up-at-people/blow-up-people mixup; I read "blow up people" as "blow people" in the review. Although that's probably more than you needed to know. Update "Betrayed" already!  
  
dragonsprincess: She hasn't, yet. And of course I'll review your fic. It may take a couple days, though, I'm really busy, but I can't take a favor without returning one.  
  
I give it all to Mr. Black: Interesting name. Yes, Forbidden did me a huge favor. I really will have to read her stuff. And not accidentally call her a guy, either (whoopsies..) I agree about Fred, he really didn't deserve it. But there'll be more about that later.  
  
Anybody else who wants me to review them, let me know! I willingly hand out reviews if people ask for them, although I forget to do it if you don't ask me to.  
  
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Dear Diary I really should know better than to write in a diary, now shouldn't I? After what happened in first year, you'd think I would have learned my lesson. But I haven't, I still write in diaries- as long as they don't write back, anyway. Well, yesterday was a busy day. I beat up Malfoy, cut off my Potions help, yelled at Fred when he really was just trying to help, and kissed Michael Corner. I should have waited, I don't know him that well, but the moment was just so perfect. I guess I'm on the rebound from Malfoy. Although we weren't dating. But still. Plus there's the whole matter of Harry. I know I sounded sure when I was talking to Fred and Michael, but I'm not. I still can't stop thinking about him. Maybe I'm  
  
Tap. Tap. Tap. Ginny stopped writing and looked up. Then she jumped about a mile in the air. Malfoy was hovering outside her window on a broomstick, tapping on the glass.  
"Good Lord, isn't he ever going to give up?" Ginny thought and turned away.  
  
. just going crazy. He doesn't like me. And there's the yelling-at-poor- Fred thing. I mean, my brothers don't really bug me that much. And I've known exactly what Malfoy thinks of my family for years. I thought I could change him. But of course I was wrong. I'm always wrong about stuff like that. But there's no way anything would have worked anyway between us, we're just too  
  
Tap. Tap. Tap. Ginny looked up again, annoyed, and opened the window to tell him off.  
"I'm going to get McGonagall if you don't-"  
  
He wordlessly shoved an envelope at her and flew off. She picked up the envelope from the floor where it had fallen and opened it. A letter fell out.  
  
Dear Ginny  
I know you hate me, and I don't blame you. I'm not a nice person. I do things people don't like, and I'm perfectly aware that they don't like them. I'm mean, even sadistic sometimes. But I'm also a human being. And every human being has the emotional capability to care. I care about you, even though you don't care about me. And you have some problems I'm not sure you even know about.  
  
You're obsessed. You know that already. But do you know why? No, I didn't think so. And I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. But I'm going to try. I'm just going to have to trust you, and hope that you trust me.  
  
Your brother Bill is a curse breaker for Gringotts. Charlie works with dragons. Percy is destined for a respectable position at the Ministry. Fred and George are already known around Hogwarts for their jokes and tricks, and they will probably put Zonko's out of business when they graduate. Ron will become a prefect next year. (Don't ask me how I know all this, because you won't get an answer.) And you? You're their little sister. Just little Ginny, innocent and pure. Stop frowning. You know that's what they think of you and you act the part too.  
  
Will you have a career? Do you have any interests? What are you good at? Will you just marry someone and become a housewife like your mother? Or are you going to do something with your life? I'm willing to bet you don't have answers to any of those questions. But they're questions you will need answers to soon.  
  
Like I said, I know you hate me, and I don't blame you. But if you'll just trust me one last time, I might be able to help you before we go back to what we were before this whole mess started. And maybe we can be less than enemies this time, even if we can't be more than friends.  
  
Love, Draco  
  
P.S. That corridor. You know which. Seven o'clock. Please. One last time.  
  
Love, Draco. The words banged and clattered around in Ginny's head. Love, Draco.  
Elena, one of the other Gryffindor girls, came in and slammed the door behind her. Ginny glanced up. "Hi, Ellie."  
  
"My life is over! O-V-E-R! Why me? Why?" Elena collapsed on her bed, sobbing.  
  
"You broke up with Colin?"  
  
"No, he broke up with me! Just because I said I didn't see why Potter got to skip exams. Just for that! I swear, sometimes he's as obsessed with Potter as you are!"  
  
Ginny tuned out. This happened about once a week. She focused on the letter instead. He wanted her to meet him in that corridor. Ginny remembered their first encounter in that corridor. "Well, he's trusting me all right," she murmured under her breath.  
  
"Hmm? What did you say?" Elena's tears had vanished and she was peering at the letter. "Dear Ginny, I know you hate me, and I don't-"  
  
Ginny stuffed the letter back into the envelope. "It's nothing. A letter my grandfather wrote to my grandmother when they had a fight. I was named after her."  
  
Elena sat back down on her bed and reached for a nail file. "Oh. You know, I heard that awful Devin Iglett talking about you just after Charms yesterday."  
  
"What?" Ginny tore her mind off the letter. "What did he say?"  
  
"That you beat up that Slytherin fourth year. Did you?"  
  
Ginny closed her eyes. How on earth had Iglett known about that? "Ellie, I have to go."  
  
Elena's eyes lit up. "You did, didn't you? Ooh, was he mad? Did he try to fight back? Did he curse you? I bet his father is going to be hopping!"  
  
"Ellie, it's just a rumor. You know Iglett."  
  
Elena pouted, then brightened again. "He's cute though. And when I heard him telling Loony Lovegood some rot about your brothers winning money off Bagman, and I looked at him, and he smiled at me! Do you think he likes me?"  
  
Ginny made an enormous effort not to roll her eyes and left the room. Life used to be simple..  
  
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Please review? *makes puppy eyes and whines * I'm young, cute and desperate for input! Plus, I'm in the mood for writing, so I'll have another chapter ready soon, and I'll put it up if I get lots of reviews! 


	9. A Battle With Two Soldiers Is No Battle ...

I apologize in advance for this chap. It's a pretty big cliffhanger and I probably won't do another one tomorrow, because I'll have homework. So, sorry about this  
  
Okay, I have to tell everybody this. I have 42 reviews on this story and not a single flame. This is really wonderful, and I thank you all. Wow, it just went from cloudy to gooshing rain in about ten seconds outside. Although nobody cares. Like I was saying, I don't mind criticism, I like it when I can improve my story! Jeez, lightning. I should go open a window, this is cool. Anyway, I think I just had to build up a few chaps. But I will always always always respond to every review I get. If you submit one and there's no acknowledgement in the next two or three chaps, let me know, because it'll be a mistake. Wow, that thunder is LOUD. Luv to yall, keep reviewing pleez!  
  
Reviewer responses (I can't believe I have some, I just put up the last chap a couple hours ago! You guys rock!)  
  
Dorothy: I think that is probably the most eloquently stated praise I have ever gotten. Thanks!  
  
Kerbi: Okay, that was WAY more than I needed to know. Blowing up at him is okay, and even blowing him up, but.. Plus, he's not flying past anytime soon. Sorry. *looks out window hopefully * Well, a girl can dream, can't she? By the way, what happened to that slash story you were gonna write? I have to go look for it..  
  
worldruler: I am intensely honored to be your first review. An interesting observation: the bit about making a fly's life cycle interesting? My stepfather is a population biologist, and studies genetics in flies. He could tell you a lot more about it than I could. Actually, he has told me a lot about it, and I seriously doubt I could make it sound interesting. But thanks for the confidence. Fleur and Dudley? YUCK!  
  
Sarah () I'm still writing it!  
  
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It was 6:55.  
  
Ginny was in the Great Hall with Hermione, talking.  
  
"That's the third time you've looked at your watch in the past minute. What's up, Gin?"  
  
Ginny glanced over at Hermione. Hermione wouldn't tell. Hermione might be able to help. But she wasn't sure she wanted to tell anyone. She decided to keep it vague.  
  
"Say someone hated someone else for a long time. Like, years. And then they discovered that the second person could be nice, and thought that maybe they had been wrong and misjudging the second person because of their reputation. But then the second person did something the first person didn't expect. And it wasn't nice. It was actually mean. And the first person changed their mind, and decided that the second person really was mean, after all. And then the second person told the first person that they knew they had made a mistake, and they didn't blame the first person for hating them, but they wanted to see the first person again. And the first person had some problems that the second person might be able to help with. Should the first person meet the second person again, or not?"  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "Was the first person seeing the second person- romantically?"  
  
"The second person had made it clear that they wanted to see the first person romantically, and the first person was considering it, but hadn't made a decision."  
  
"Is the meeting in a secluded spot, away from anyone else?"  
  
Ginny thought about it. "It's in a semi-secluded spot. Other people might be able to hear and come help if someone called for it, but they don't usually just pass through."  
  
"I would say there are two possibilities here. Either the second person is using the first person, or the second person is being sincere. I can't give an opinion because I don't know any specific details of the situation. It's the first person's decision."  
  
Ginny sat and stared at her hands for a moment. Then she looked at her watch again. 7:01.  
  
"Hermione, I have to go."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Ginny?"  
  
Ginny stopped.  
  
"Be careful."  
  
He was waiting for her when she arrived.  
  
Draco noticed she was breathing hard. She must have decided to come at the last minute. He wasn't surprised.  
  
"Hello, Ginny."  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy. Why am I even here?"  
  
Draco sighed. "Because I have some things I need to say to you."  
  
"Then say them. I have a Potions essay to do."  
  
"I have essays for Charms and Transfiguration, and I have to study for a History of Magic test tomorrow. But this is more important." Draco took a step toward her, and she took one backward. He sighed again. "Ginny, I'm sorry."  
  
"Yeah, right. You're an asshole and you know it."  
  
"Yes, I do know it. I'm a cruel person by nature. It's not my fault."  
  
"Cut that crap!" Ginny yelled. "It is your fault! It's completely up to you, what you do with your life! You can be mean, or you can be nice. I know you can be nice. I've seen you! You've been nice to me! Was all that an act? Were you pretending, did you want something from me?"  
  
Draco flinched. "No!"  
  
"So you're not a sarcastic lump of ice, right? Isn't that what you said yourself?" She was getting worked up now. Draco took a deep breath.  
  
"I am a lump of ice. I'm a jerk. You know I am. Everyone knows it. Potter, he knows it. Granger, she probably knows it best of anyone."  
  
"Are you trying to make me convince you that you're a good person deep down or something? Because I'm not going to. Yes, I know you're a jerk. What I'm saying is, you don't have to be one."  
  
This wasn't going anywhere. "I don't want to talk about me. I do enough of that already. What about you, Ginny? What about your life? That Corner kid, what about him? How about Potter? I'm not blind, Ginny. You have to get over him."  
  
"This is your business how, exactly?"  
  
Draco tried hard to keep his voice level. "Just listen to me for a minute. You know how you feel whenever Potter walks into the room? Like your insides turn cold and start moving around? Like the rest of the world somehow doesn't matter anymore? And then, whenever he blows you off, ignores you, acts like he doesn't care, it feels like you're in the middle of a crowd of dementors, like you'll never be happy again?"  
  
She looked at him, puzzled. "How do you know all that?"  
  
"That's the way I feel around you. Every time I see you. When I help you with your Potions homework, every time you brush your hair out of your face, I wish it was my hand instead of yours. Every time you wave goodbye, I want to run after you, to tell you to stop, to hold you. Ginny, I love you."  
  
Draco expected her to do one of three things. Run away, yell at him, or slap him. He waited patiently for one or more of these thing to occur. Several seconds passed. She simply stood there, her lips slightly parted in surprise. He looked at them. This would be the last time he would see them up close, smiling like that. Wait a minute. She was smiling?  
  
She finally said something. "You know, Draco, human beings are funny things. Some of the funny things we do are impulsive. Sometimes impulses turn out okay, and sometimes they don't. My God, I hope this one does."  
  
And she kissed him.  
  
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More reviews, please please please? *makes puppy eyes * Hey, it worked last time. Stop laughing already. 


	10. So Let's Bring In A Few More

I really should start putting in disclaimers.  
  
Okay, I put up two chaps yesterday, and today I opened my inbox and discovered eleven reviews awaiting me! You have no idea how fab this makes me feel! I love you all!  
  
Reviewer responses:  
  
faer: Yes, he would, and I intended to put that bit in the last chap, but forgot. Thanks for reminding me, it's in this one!  
  
GenThePyro: Absolutely!  
  
G. Weasley (): Sorry, I'm not writing fast enough, but I do have a life outside of fan fic. Guess you'll just have to make do!  
  
Spider Fairyz: Thank you!  
  
Shaniele: It will be longer.  
  
Gen: Yes, of course!  
  
Azalai: That's one of the reasons I wrote it- I felt that the world could not have enough good D/G fics, but there were enough bad ones already.  
  
Megaparsec: Ooh, are you into "A Wrinkle In Time?" I love that book! Why would that insult me? I'm glad I'm not making too many godawful mistakes!  
  
dragonsprincess: I'm sorry I haven't reviewed you yet, I have a list of fics to read over. I think Hermione knew, but that's kind of left open, so you could interpret it however you want.  
  
tooty frooty: I've written some slash stories, but this isn't one of them. Maybe we have different definitions of "slash". I always thought it was same-sex relationships.  
  
Taisy: Harry isn't in the story because I can't do anything with him. I have to make this fit in with the actual books, and those are his POV, so anything important would be in them. I have to make this believable enough for peeps to read it, right? (BTW, the first time I came on this site, I stayed up until 5:30 reading fic. I totally understand.)  
  
jods-luvs-draco: This is a canon story, meaning it takes place during the books. I've tried to keep it believable by leaving Harry out of most of it, and not writing about things he would hear about. Sorry if that's a little unrealistic, but I look on it as a challenge. Any suggestions to make it more believable?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't even get an allowance, much less millions of dollars a year, like I would be if I owned HP. None of it's mine. Except Ellie, she's mine.  
  
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Fred Weasley was confused.  
  
He sat in a chair in the Gryffindor common room. George was at the other end of the room, selling trick sweets. Normally Fred would be with him, raking in the Sickles, but he had too much on his mind.  
  
First of all, there was the Filch incident. That morning, Fred had planted a Dungbomb. Filch had caught him at it and, instead of the usual grumbling and reporting, had quite civilly asked him not to. Fred had been so surprised, he had put the Dungbomb back in his pocket and walked away. That was strange in itself without the thought of Ginny hanging over him.  
  
Fred glanced at his watch. It was seven-fifteen. Ginny was normally in the common room doing homework around now. Where was she? He thought back. He'd seen her talking to Hermione, about seven.  
  
He made his way over to the mound of books and papers hiding Hermione.  
  
"What is it, George?" she asked, a little crossly. She was doing a new O.W.L. Prep regime in her spare time, and hated to be disturbed.  
  
"Actually, it's Fred. Have you seen Ginny anywhere?"  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
Fred was startled. Hermione was never nosy with him, but this was none of her business. "I fancied a chat. She's been looking peaky."  
  
"Well, I don't know where she is." Hermione turned back to her work. Fred decided not to pursue it, though he could tell she knew something. He left the common room through the portrait hole. He was wandering through the corridors, with the vague destination of the library, when he heard a voice yelling.  
  
"Cut that crap! It is your fault! It's completely up to you, what you do with your life! You can be mean, or you can be nice. I know you can be nice. I've seen you! You've been nice to me! Was all that an act? Were you pretending, did you want something from me?"  
  
It was undoubtedly Ginny. He wouldn't have believed she was yelling like that if he hadn't heard her himself just the previous day, shouting fit to burst a lung. Fred made his way toward the outburst. The voices had died down and were both murmuring. Fred got as close as he could without being seen. Then he heard a voice that he couldn't quite place, and it was saying something he didn't like.  
  
"That's the way I feel around you. Every time I see you. When I help you with your Potions homework, every time you brush your hair out of your face, I wish it was my hand instead of yours. Every time you wave goodbye, I want to run after you, to tell you to stop, to hold you. Ginny, I love you."  
  
Fred felt his face turn red with fury. He recognized the voice now. It was the Malfoy git, and he was sweet-talking Ginny. He managed to hold himself back long enough to hear what came next. He didn't like that either.  
  
"You know, Draco, human beings are funny things. Some of the funny things we do are impulsive. Sometimes impulses turn out okay, and sometimes they don't. My God, I hope this one does."  
  
Fred couldn't see what was going on around the corner, but he wasn't stupid. Malfoy was snogging his little sister! He wanted to dash around the corner, to protect Ginny.  
But he didn't. Her words from yesterday echoed in his mind.  
  
"What's going on is none of your business, Fred! This is my life, my problems, and I'm going to deal with it. If I want your help, I will ask for it."  
  
But she didn't understand! She was young! Malfoy was taking advantage of her and she was going to be hurt!  
  
"Every time something happens, a little tangle in my life, I have six brothers pouncing on me and trying to fight my fights and coddle me like I'm made of bloody PORCELAIN!"  
  
She wasn't made of porcelain. She was a strong, smart girl. She could handle herself.  
  
"I can handle things without half a dozen macho bodyguards to take care of me!"  
  
Could she? She was only thirteen, after all. She had a lot to learn about life.  
  
"I've got fists and a wand and I can use them!"  
  
She would have to learn. That was all. She would have to learn life's lessons. Maybe she would be hurt, but everyone was hurt sometimes, and she had to learn to deal with it. And it was her life, after all, not his.  
  
Fred turned around and walked away.  
  
"Why can't we tell Harry? Why won't she let us tell Harry? She's thirteen, she's a girl, and she beat up Malfoy! That's something to be proud of, that is!"  
  
Hermione heaved a sigh and closed her book. She had tried waiting it out, and the stream of complaints was just flowing faster.  
  
"Because she asked us not to. Ron, we have to respect her privacy. If she doesn't want Harry to know, we don't tell him."  
  
Ron scowled. "Why doesn't she want him knowing, anyway? I thought she fancied him! If she wants Harry to notice her, making Malfoy grovel is probably the best way there is to do it!"  
  
"Ron, just shut up, will you?"  
  
"No, I won't! I'm telling him, and you can't do anything about it!"  
  
Hermione smiled. She had him at last. "Oh, can't I?"  
  
"No, you can't."  
  
"Go ahead, then. Tell him. You'll never see a page of my History of Magic notes again."  
  
Ron paled considerably. He had spent the last three History of Magic lessons attempting (and failing miserably) to draw Fleur Delacour from the Daily Prophet photo (he wouldn't say where he'd gotten it, because it hadn't been printed in the paper). He was completely relying on Hermione's notes to pass the upcoming test.  
  
"Fine, I won't tell," he grumbled.  
  
Hermione smiled smugly and turned back to her notes. Fred walked in the door. Ron glanced up.  
  
"Oy, Fred, what happened to you? You look like you've seen a ghost!"  
  
"I walked through one, as a matter of fact. You know what that feels like, don't you?"  
  
Ron grinned and nodded. He'd leaned through Nearly Headless Nick accidentally several times at dinner. For some reason, Nick seemed to like sitting next to Ron.  
  
Ginny stumbled into the room a few minutes later. This time, Ron wasn't the only one to look up.  
  
Elena rushed over, grabbed Ginny's arm, and dragged her into a corner. "Who is he?" she whispered excitedly. Ginny looked blank.  
"What are you talking about, Ellie?"  
  
"You've been snogged! Don't deny it, I've seen it millions of times. Who is he? Is he cute? Do I know him? How old is he?"  
  
"Ellie, I haven't been snogged."  
  
Ellie snorted. "Right, Gin. I told you, I've seen this before. Come on, tell me. Pleeeease?"  
  
Ginny said the first name that made any sense. "Michael Corner."  
  
"Ooh, really? He was going with Marietta Edgecombe, that fifth year, at the Yule Ball, but she's going with Terry Boot now. Corner broke up with her just after the ball. I saw him and Cho Chang flirting the other day, but Chang's going with Cedric Diggory. Helga Thelmson's been making eyes at Corner for months, but I don't think he's noticed, so he's fair game. Good luck!" Ellie ran off toward a gaggle of girls by the fire.  
  
And yet she always forgets every single homework assignment, thought Ginny, sighing.  
  
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No Draco POVs on the kiss yet. *cackles evilly * Review and you might get one next chap!  
  
(Oh, and I just have to say this: yay Fred! I don't usually comment on things that I wrote, but that took some courage and I felt this rush of triumph for him when I wrote the part about him walking away.)  
  
(Review please?)  
  
(Shutting up.) 


	11. A Sucky Short Chapter

Aaaaaah! I know you all hate me and I am so sorry! I haven't updated in forever and when I do update, now it's this super-short chapter. *ducks flying stones * I know, I deserve it all. Please forgive me! I promise I will put the next chapter up within two days, I promise, I do.  
  
Reviewer responses (I have a billion because I haven't updated in so long):  
  
Megaparsec: I will definitely continue writing, although this story should be finished in a few more chapters. That's definitely not an insult, I'm glad you took the time to check it over!  
  
DogLover: Thanks! I will!  
  
Kerbi: Sorry about the kiss details, I'm really no good at romance. Which is insane, since I'm writing this story. Oh, I read "Chance Encounter," it's really good so far.  
  
Lil: Thanks!  
  
Someone: "Snog" means "make out" or "cuddle with."  
  
Blue_Angel: Thanks! I'll try to!  
  
Fresh_AngelBabe: I haven't had a chance to yet, but I will. Thanks!  
  
Evil*fairy (or beccy): Thanks for the long review, I love long, detailed reviews. Actually, at this point I'm glad to get any review, but I love the detailed ones best. *shields self from flying sponges and tissue boxes * I know, I suck, I'll start posting more often. Thanks for the compliments *blushes *.  
  
Mariz: In that case, I am deeply honored. Sorry about the swearing, I need to go back and replace "fuck" with "sod" in that one place, because I forgot I'd rated this story PG.  
  
Allie: Thanks for the suggestions. I've included Ellie some more in this chap, but I'm trying to use her more as comic relief (I love writing Ellie!). Mrs. Weasley is (thankfully) unaware of any of this.  
  
Dragonsprincess: Yes indeedy, Ellie is so not going to keep her mouth shut on that one. Next chappie!  
  
Shaniele: I know, and this one's even shorter. Bad Jedusor! Bad! *knocks self across head with frying pan * Ouch.  
  
Marvindamartian: No, Michael is decidedly not out of the picture. Sorry. That's funny about the name Elena, it isn't too common, is it? Well, just to be clear: no jibes made about or by Elena in this story have anything to do with you personally :P  
  
MonopolyQueen: Thank you very much!  
  
Faer: Yes, Ellie is my favorite character to write. She just kind of writes herself. Here's a little secret: I'm not building any plot tricks at all, at least not intentionally. Right now I have a huge case of writer's block, which is why this chapter is going to suck. And I decided that Harry would have noticed if Malfoy was walking around with a cantaloupe for a head, which is what would have happened if Fred had walked in on them. Gotta keep Harry out of the loop, to keep it realistic.  
  
HPfreak8: Glad to see I made you laugh, although a few more details would be nice.  
  
ChaliceInnana: Cool username! Yes, the Bat-Bogey Hex will be the epilogue. And I'm glad to hear that I succeeded with the gradual change, although this story could definitely use a rewrite or two.  
  
Yue_er: Thank you!  
  
Peaceoutgrlmehi: No hard feelings whatsoever. Sorry to inform you that this fic is not AU, she and Michael will get together, as will she and Dean. Thanks for the long, detailed review- I love the long, detailed ones best!  
  
Sayra Louise: Yes, I love writing Ellie. She's so funny, and I know that sounds like I'm saying I'm funny, but she just kind of writes herself. It's not me at all. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Every one of you deserves a big bowl of coconut ice cream. Reviewers rock!  
  
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Ginny yawned as she sprawled on her four-poster. She had spent most of the evening thinking in front of the fire, but hadn't come any closer to understanding Michael, Draco, Fred, or herself.  
  
Only two months ago, she had hated the very thought of Draco Malfoy. He was inconsiderate, rude, and cruel. He made fun of her family, her brothers, her friends. Then he had made some soppy comments about her hair, and suddenly she had been wrapped around his little finger. Then he'd made the mistake of acting like himself in front of her, she had seen him for what he was, and gone back to hating him. Less than four hours before now, he'd said a few more soppy things, and she had slipped right back into his grasp.  
  
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, Ginny thought miserably. What had she done? He loved her. Yeah, right. It was those eyes, it must have been. They had a way of pulling her in, of making her believe what he was saying. How many months had he spent in front of the mirror, refining that gaze? How long had it taken for him to be able to look honest and innocent at will?  
  
The door creaked open and Ellie sidled in. Ginny looked over at her. Her makeup was smeared, her hair was mussed, and she looked like she had just had the time of her life.  
  
"Let me guess. Devin Iglett?" Ginny said dryly.  
  
Ellie sighed ecstatically. "Oh, Ginny, he's the best kisser ever! And those eyes! I could look into them all night-"  
  
"-if you weren't more focused on his lips. Honestly, Ellie, I think you're going to run out of guys to snog soon."  
  
Ellie looked horrified. "Run out of them? Do you think? Aren't there, like, three hundred and fifty boys here?"  
  
"And you've had how many boyfriends this year?"  
  
"Well, yeah. But I can always reuse them, right? I mean, not Creevey, not after what he said to me. But I haven't gone out with Seamus Finnigan since Thanksgiving, and we only broke up because he wanted to take Cho Chang to the Yule Ball and I wanted him to take me. Then of course Chang was already going with Cedric Diggory, and I wouldn't take Finnigan back, so he had to settle for Lavender Brown. Cedric Diggory, now there's a catch. Only he's in seventh year, and I'm no competition for Chang. I wish she'd have a Quidditch accident and mess up that nose of hers. I don't see how she can play in the mud like that and keep that complexion. Of course, I'm not complaining about my complexion, I've got a nice one, but hers is really-"  
  
"Ellie, will you kindly shut up?" Ginny said through gritted teeth. Ellie could go on for hours if no one stopped her.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound self-centered or anything. Hey, did you hear about the end-of-year party? It's in Hogsmeade, the Saturday before the third task. And it's just for third-years! Devin's helping organize it, and he was the one who suggested only letting third-years in. Of course, we can have dates in other years, just like the Yule Ball. I mean, it wouldn't be much of a party with just the third-years, would it? There's only, like, thirty third-years, you know?"  
  
Then again, sometimes she went on for hours even when someone did try to stop her.  
  
Draco slumped on the floor in the stone corridor. Ginny had just broken their kiss and hurried off. Why couldn't she make up her mind? She hated him, she kind of liked him, she didn't like him like that, she hated him again, and now she had kissed him.  
  
Girls. Just when he thought he understood them, she came along.  
  
He made his way back to the Slytherin common room. He turned a corner and there was Corner. Michael Corner.  
  
They looked at each other for a moment. Draco was perfectly aware that he had just kissed Corner's girlfriend. He wasn't bothered by it. He was Draco Malfoy, after all- he was irresistible. Girls were drawn to him like magnets, whether they already had boyfriends or not. It wasn't his fault. Actually, it was rather a nuisance sometimes. Like now.  
  
"Listen, Malfoy, I want to know what happened between you and Ginny," Corner said in a quiet, dangerous voice Draco had heard once before. That had been right before Ginny had nearly castrated him.  
  
"What do you want to hear? The bit with her telling me she never wanted to see me again in her life, or the bit when she was making out with me?"  
  
Corner's eyes narrowed. Then he relaxed a little. "I don't care who she's making out with," he said, more to himself than to Draco, "but I don't want her to get hurt. And you are definitely the sort of person who could hurt her."  
  
Draco raised his perfectly arched eyebrows. "Didn't you hear what she said? She doesn't want other people looking out for her anymore. She's had enough of that. Let her sort out her own life."  
  
Corner's jaw clenched. "Maybe I care what happens to her."  
  
"Maybe she doesn't care what you think."  
  
"You're wrong," said Corner quietly. "She does care what I think. And you don't have the capacity to care. That's why you're doing this to her."  
  
"And what precisely am I doing?" Draco crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against the wall.  
  
"I don't know what you're doing!" Corner spat. "But I saw the look on her face when she saw you, and I know you've done something to her."  
  
"But it's none of your business, is it? She doesn't want to be coddled like porcelain, and she doesn't want help. I understand that, even if I am an uncaring lump of ice. Listen to her, Corner. Listen to what she's saying."  
  
Draco swept past Corner and went back to the Slytherin common room.  
  
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I know, it sucked muchly, and so do I. Apologies to all, please review even though I don't deserve it! 


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